A dinghy is (1) a small rowboat, (2) an inflatable rubber life raft, or (3) a small open boat carried as a tender, lifeboat, or pleasure craft on a larger boat.
The term dinghy is applied to various small boats, including ship's boats or tenders, racing sailboats, and passenger craft. The dinghies that serve as ship's boats were originally rowboats with a transom (flat) stern, a rounded bow, and two to four oars, but now are usually powered and have a pointed bow. A small open sailboat, used as a tender and lifeboat for a yacht, is also referred to as a dinghy, as is an inflatable life raft. Racing dinghies are equipped with a sail and rudder and sometimes a centerboard.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,228,408, granted Jul. 20, 1993, to T. L. Jannausch, discloses a reusable tarpaulin protective cover that is mounted to a boat, which is supported for drainage and provides protection against winds and storms.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,027,739, granted Jul. 2, 1991, to M. S. Lackovic, details a hatchway protective cover for a boat, that is fashioned from a trapezoidal shaped sheet of flexible material, of which a portion is transparent.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,768,437, granted Sep. 6, 1988, to F. L. Jones, describes an inflatable boat cover comprised of a flexible sheet material. The cover is a covering for an opening, such as a cockpit or hatchway and is easily stored when deflated.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,363,284, granted Dec. 14, 1982, to W. E. Monroe, teaches of a dock side protective cover made of a flexible skirt.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,075,723, granted Feb. 28, 1978, to M. A. Bareis, et al, discloses a boat cover of a flexible sheet material and a flexible resilient rib adapted to extend in an arched configuration from forward to aft for supporting the cover.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,748,671, granted Jul. 31, 1973, to G. Dusmet, describes an inflatable boat cover for pneumatic boats that is suitable to allow the boat to be towed in its capsized position.
The above referenced patents use tarpaulins or fabric materials to act as protective covers. There may be occasions where these covers may stretch, and tear or rip if caught in a gust of wind. Also, exposure to direct sunlight may in time cause the fabric to degrade where pinholes can develop and water seepage damages the contents of the boat. Still anther problem that exists for those referenced is where water may collect in the recesses causing further damage over time. Even though a resilient rib may be used to tauten the material, frequent use may stretch the fabric to the point where small tears or rips may develop at the high stress wear points.
These objections can be overcome by the present invention that will be disclosed in the following paragraphs.
What is needed is durable boat cover that is fashioned into a durable semirigid but pliable structure that is safe and reliable and can be easily managed into position by one person. In this regard, this invention fulfills this need.